As the world turns

well as it happens in our church, Kirk was released on Sunday. It's been a very rewarding time for Kirk. He doesn't normally get to know everyone in the ward like he was able to do as a member of the Bishopric. It's also been very challenging on him. We were sad for the time to end but grateful for new opportunities. This next one will be challenging on him for the amount of time and effort it takes! He is now the 1 st counselor in the YM and the Varsity scout leader. Our scouts have been struggling so much, the ym aren't bonding like they were and it's been hard on our boys. So we are going to be very busy, but we hope to help our YM. It's a fun time for Kirk to be in there since this fall we will have all 3 boys in the YM. Kirks currently over Matt and Connor will be there in a few short weeks! AJ is going in for a Board of review this week and he will be a Star, next is Life then Eagle, so he is way ahead of the curve. Thanks in part to a amazing leader and of course me :) Connor is currently drawing up his plans to get approved for his Eagle project and I'm hoping to have his court of honor this fall when my parents would be here to see it!! Wish us luck!

The stake presidency leader who came to release Kirk on Sunday asked Kirk and I to bear our testimonies, it's one of only 2 times I've ever been called up on the spot. But I was grateful for the chance to bear my testimony of the gospel, my love and appreciation for Joseph Smith and the amazing experience I had standing with my kids in the temple open house. It still fills my heart with peace and gratitude. I hope it will always do so when I think back on the experience!

Cool Connor rowing Picture

I've been spoiled by my friend who had her sons in gymnastics with AJ, she has the most amazing camera so I got amazing photos of AJ. I havne't been as lucky with the other kids. I've really want a great picture of Connor rowing. While this one isn't perfect it's going to be one of my favorites! Especially since that os a friend of Connor's behind him. But it was with all brand new rowers, so the kids paddle at the edge of the picture is of course totally wrong :}

one class down!

Matt gets to tets out of math class early this week! He took the final yesterday and is taking the state test today which he actually passed the first time around last month so odds are he's done today! It's only 4 days early, but every day makes a huge difference!! He is getting out with a B with is huge!! I do think he has a better grade because this is his 2nd time through the subject so it's kind of a review. But the teacher was also very good and Matt actually tried and that has made all the difference!!

She's got legs

I was hugging Elle this morning and boy is she getting tall! I commeneted on how tall she is and she said yes, it's because of my legs. Lol she is too cute!

Beautiful pictures

We took the kids kayaking on the Chattahoochee this weekend for a fun fathers day family activity. I admit I thought the boys should all go fishing but it was fun to go as well I must admit. It's so much work hooking all the boats up before and after, but boy is it fun on the river. we paddled up stream for a while so then we could float back to the ramp. The water was really high since we've had some great rain storms this week. I wished most of the trip I had a super awesome camera. I missed some wonderful pictures. One of my favorites was coming back, I was behind Matt and Connor and it was so beautiful to watch their back muscles and bones shift as they paddled. I have to admit Connors especially since he is a rower and has developed those muscles. But watching their bodies move and shift was a beautiful thing. I think it's such a miracle that these are my little babies growing up and I'm so grateful for their health and strength! I was I had a picture of that moment, but could a picture showing all the shifting muscle? No but it's still be cool!

Scout camp

Aj had a great week of scout camp. SOme annoying things, as there will always be. But overall he had a great time. This is my child who can have fun anywhere. He went with boys in another ward since none of our ward signed up, and then the camp stuck him in groups with all boys he didn't know, but he had fun. He had fun in the communications merit badge that everyone else hated, he gave a speech on doing gymnastics, complete with demonstrations! Today he cut himself horribly in the wood carving merit badge, he says his knife closed on him. They probably should have sent him to get stitches, but by the time he got home it was holding closed. His aunt Tiff drove the carpool home and stopped to get the boys doughnuts. so here is AJ once I got him, high on sugar and blood loss and still finding fun! You gotta love that kid!

Connor was so sweet he did a 2 week learn to row camp with a friend who hasn't done it before. The poor kid was bored most days because he's been doing this for a year. You can see all the kids rowing at different times, he kept making the boat turn since he knew when to dig in. The water was so red and filthy today because we had a huge storm come through last night. The coaches were going along in front of the boats to catch the big logs before they hit the boats! ( Connor is the one in a white shirt on the right side of the front boat)